[SalesForce] How to snip and pass a string value between brackets to a Map

I've been searching through past questions and other literature to try to figure this out but it's time to just ask outright.

I'm trying to write an after insert trigger that takes the string value between the first encountered ( and ) in a text field, and passes it into a map for an ID return to be used in a new record creation.

I've experimented with patterns+matchers as well as indexOf code, without success. Could anyone assist with examples of either? Thanks.

Code I've begun (using the Event object):

for(Event e : trigger.new){
     String EDescription = Event.Description;
     String ExtractedString = EDescription.indexOf("(") + 1,   myString.lastIndexOf(")"));
}

et cetera…

I've also tried modifying the code found at Can anyone help with a formula to pull an email address from a text string in a standard field?

Namely:

for (Event e: Trigger.new) {
    if (e.Description != null) {
        Pattern StringPattern = Pattern.compile('(?i)^([A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\\.[A-Z]{2,4})$');
        for (String bit: e.Description.split(' ')) {
            Matcher StringMatcher = StringPattern.matcher(bit);
            if (StringMatcher.matches()) {
                e.Description_ExtractedString__c = bit;
            }
        }
    }
}

I've not yet modified the pattern-matcher RegEx code specifically enough but I believe the context is clear.

Best Answer

The code below will get the text from within the brackets. The code makes use of some String methods

String eDescription = 'This is (the test) text';
Integer openingIndex = eDescription.indexOf('(');
Integer closingIndex = eDescription.indexOf(')');
String textInBrackets = eDescription.subString(openingIndex + 1, closingIndex);

Using @Sovereigntys suggestion of using substringBetween then the code becomes:

String eDescription = 'This is (the test) text';
String textInBrackets = eDescription. substringBetween('(', ')');

FYI: Both ways will find the first instance of '(' and ')'.

Input: 'This is (the test) text', Output: 'the test'
Input: 'This is (the test) (text)', Output: 'the test'

Related Solutions

[SalesForce] Using RegEx Pattern Match to create DateTime fields in trigger

Ultimately, the code I came up with for validation looked something like what's below:

list<Event> ToInsert = new list<Event>();
Date ClosDt;
Integer ClsDay; 
Integer ClsMnth;
Integer ClsYear; 
String sClsDay; 
String sClsMnth;
String sClsYear; 
String StrtTmDt;
Integer plnMns;
String endTm;
String endDtTm;
String notes;
Pattern TimePttrn = Pattern.compile('((([1])([0-2])|(([0])([1-9])))(\\u003A)(([0-5])([0-9]))(\\s)(([AP])([M])))'); // hh:mm a


// The initial section below is to use Event_Notes__c to track any error messages 
// related to the start time and return them for correction while allowing 
// successful creation of the event. It existed before we went to a picklist.

try{
    If (opp.Event_Notes__c == null) notes = 'None';

    }catch(NullPointerException e){

    notes = 'None';

    } 

    notes = opp.Event_Notes__c;

try{
    opp.Event_Start_Time_Pik__c.normalizeSpace();

    }catch(NullPointerException e){

        if (notes == 'None') {

            notes = 'Error A1 processing Start Time!!! Check for correct time and resubmit form.';

            opp.Event_Start_Time_Pik__c = '12:00 AM';

        } else{

            notes = 'Error A2 processing Start Time!!! Check for correct time and resubmit form.'+ notes;

            opp.Event_Start_Time_Pik__c = '12:00 AM'; 

        }

    } // End try/catch block

// Do time pattern and match validation

Matcher m = TimePttrn.matcher(opp.Event_Start_Time_Pik__c);
boolean hasMatch = m.matches();
strtTm = m.group(0);

opp.Event_Notes__c = notes;

// Assemble StartTimeDate and Calculate Planned Mins

ClosDt = opp.CloseDate;
ClsDay = ClosDt.day();

if(ClsDay >= 1 && ClsDay <= 9){ 

sClsDay = '0' + String.ValueOf(ClsDay);

} else {

sClsDay = String.ValueOf(ClsDay);

}

ClsMnth = ClosDt.month();

if(ClsMnth >=0 && ClsMnth <= 9){ 

   sClsMnth = '0' + String.ValueOf(ClsMnth);

   } else {

   sClsMnth = String.ValueOf(ClsMnth);

   }

ClsYear = ClosDt.year();

sClsYear = String.ValueOf(ClsYear);    

StrtTmDt = sClsMnth + '/' + sClsDay + '/' + sClsYear + ' ' + strtTm;

Later in the code when creating the event:

Event e = New Event(StartDateTime = DateTime.parse(StrtTmDt), ActivityDateTime = DateTime.parse(StrtTmDt), EndDateTime = (DateTime.parse(StrtTmDt)).addMinutes(plnMns), DurationInMinutes = plnMns, Subject = EvtSubjct, OwnerId = opp.Owner.Id, WhatId = opp.Id, WhoId = opp.Customer_Contact__r.Id, Description = Descr1 + Descr2 + Descr3 + Descr5 + Descr6 + Descr7 );

I wound up doing a lot of string method and regex testing bits of code in the Developer Console and creating some string test classes before I managed to get all of this to work satisfactorily. I learned a great deal in the process. I hope others find this of use as until there's a "true" Time method other than the Salesforce System Time, this will continue to be an issue we'll all need to deal with on occasion.

[SalesForce] How to insert a string into another string

Lets say you have the following strings.

String1 = 'myString/myPattern/someString'
String2 = 'newString'

You can append your new string just before the required pattern like this.

String newString = 
    String1.substring(0, String1.indexOf('/myPattern')) +
    String2 + 
    String1.substring(String1.indexOf('/myPattern'), String1.length());

But make sure your pattern is not repeated in the String1, because you might end up replacing just the first occurrence.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[SalesForce] Using RegEx Pattern Match to create DateTime fields in trigger

[SalesForce] How to insert a string into another string

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